Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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331. To ask the Minister for Health if he has given consideration to the development of a national stroke strategy with multi-annual funding; if and when preparatory work will be done on same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51571/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The National Clinical Programme for Stroke has achieved much in the last 10 years, modernising stroke care in Ireland while reducing mortality and dependency after stroke. Between 2008 and 2015 mortality rates fell from 19% to 14%, and stroke care units largely non-existent in 2008 are now in 80% of our acute hospitals, with two further units to open early in 2018, at Kerry University Hospital and Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown.

However, many challenges remain with new and significant advances in the medical treatment of stroke, or aging demography and potential increases in the incidence of stroke, training of skilled staff and improving public awareness of risk factors and signs of stroke. To this end the National Clinical Programme for Stroke has set about a process to produce a costed 5 year deliverable strategy for stroke in the key areas of prevention, acute care, rehabilitation and restoration to living. This process is well underway and aims to have a completed document for consideration in the third quarter of 2018.